Anger in Dáil as TDs take extra day’s holiday

GOVERNMENT TDs have voted to take an extra day off from the Dáil next week, despite opposition protests.

Ordinarily, the Dáil sits Tuesday to Thursday, but in the week after a bank holiday, traditionally sits just Wednesday and Thursday.

But when Tánaiste Mary Coughlan proposed yesterday that the Dáil would not return until 2.30pm next Wednesday, Labour and Fine Gael objected.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said there was no justification for the Dáil not sitting on Tuesday given the state of the economy and the continuing budget row.

“These are not normal times. Financial markets are still in a state of flux and people are still very concerned about what is happening with the economy,” he said.

“We had 15,000 pensioners outside the House yesterday who remain unhappy, as do the thousands of others who were not there, with the position regarding the medical card. We also had 15,000 students outside who are unhappy about the Government planning to reintroduce tuition fees.”

The proposal that the Dáil not return until Wednesday was “daft” in such circumstances, he added.

Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton agreed, saying people would not expect politicians to take “an extra day’s holiday next week at a time of such convulsion”. Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin echoed those comments. The issue was put to a vote, but the Government won comfortably, meaning the Dáil will not resume until Wednesday as planned.

Meanwhile, the Government has refused to guarantee that the income thresholds for medical cards for the over-70s will be increased each year to take account of inflation.

Under the revised plans announced earlier this week, those over 70 whose gross weekly income is beneath €700 for a single person and €1,400 for a couple will qualify for cards, but the universal entitlement will no longer apply.

The Government has been urged to guarantee that it will increase these thresholds each year to account for inflation. But Tánaiste Mary Coughlan refused to give a such a guarantee yesterday. Instead, she said the Government would “review” the thresholds each year.

She also confirmed that two separate legislative provisions would be required to end the universal right to medical cards for over 70s.

The first will repeal section one of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001. This will end the automatic entitlement to cards for all new applicants from January next.

The second will withdraw eligibility from existing card holders who are above the new income thresholds announced by the Government.

Ms Coughlan said both provisions would be included in the Social Welfare Bill which will be brought before the Dáil in early November.